The annual Livermore Rodeo also was cancelled in 2020 as were GoodGuys shows once the state shutdown in mid-March.
The surprise was when I reached out to Angel Moore, the fairgrounds’ vice-president of business development, to ask about the status of the 2021 fair. She emailed back, “We are actively planning for the 2021 Fair. We will post any updates on our website, social media channels and through email.”
The fair’s three-week run typically starts in the third week in June and runs through July 4th. Checking the fair website, there are no dates for 2021 posted.
The rodeo traditionally takes place the second weekend in June with the fair following the next week.
With events largely shutdown other than those confined to cars, the fairgrounds has served as a COVID-19 testing center since spring and opened a drive-through vaccination center (appointments required) last Wednesday.
It’s notable that the GoodGuys left their summer and fall gatherings on the calendar, presumably hoping that the COVID-19 trends continue in a positive direction and vaccinations continue to ramp up and herd immunity is reached.
There was good news on the vaccination front last weekend when Kaiser Permanente, which has been only vaccinating health care workers and members 75 and older, opened its program to people 65 and up. The health care giant was able to take that step because the state now is allocating it more vaccine, according to an email sent to members.
We fit into over 65 category and both my wife and I received Kaiser email invitations to schedule appointments over the weekend. It was welcome to receive them, but fortunately we already had received round one of vaccinations through other centers. I had a COVID test at the fairgrounds last spring so I could write more knowledgeably about it. That put me in Stanford ValleyCare’s system and thus eligible to make an appointment at one of its sites (Emeryville because there was nothing available in Pleasanton).
A friend from church recommended a community-based clinic in the East Bay and my wife, after about one day on the waiting list, was able to make an appointment in San Leandro last Friday. Bottom line is the pace of vaccinations is increasing and the infection rates are falling.
The announcement from the governor that outdoor sports could start competitions also was great news for teen-agers who have been without competition for nearly a year.
In hindsight, you have to wonder just what the aggressive shutdowns accomplished. California’s record, compared nationally, is awful. The hospitality and tourism industries have been hammered; students have suffered mightily in a variety of ways and what outcomes were achieved?
Gov. Newsom demonstrated the sheer incompetence of the Employment Development Department, harming millions who needed unemployment payments and the homeless response, highlighted by the non-partisan state auditor, is another abject failure.
The effort to recall Newsom that had little momentum started rolling once his infamous dinner at the French Laundry came to public attention. It may well qualify and leave Democrats with difficult choices.
